Читать книгу Effective Writing - Elizabeth Manning Murphy - Страница 12

This book does not go into the fine details of grammar – there are many grammar textbooks and websites for that. Instead, it reviews some of the more basic general principles of grammar that are essential if you want to be understood at all. When people correspond, they first have to use words, sentence structures and punctuation that each understands. They also have to conform to a particular level of English that is the one used for business communication. If a writer uses a form of the language that the reader does not associate with business, there is a breakdown in communication. Business writing is less stilted today than even a few years ago – many informal expressions are acceptable now in even quite formal documents. Writing should be as natural as possible while avoiding substandard expressions such as slang, vulgarisms, pomposity and discriminatory language. Use words you are comfortable with and that you would use in conversation. But make sure they are put together according to the accepted patterns of standard English grammar. Remember that whatever you write may have to be clearly understood several years later – not only today.